Staples dominant in win over Trumbull

Published 8:02 pm, Saturday, May 2, 2015

TRUMBULL -- When Staples, No. 5 in the latest state boys lacrosse poll, is doing what the Wreckers want to do, they're going to hold onto the ball. For a while.

Saturday at Trumbull, they did just about everything they wanted. A strong first half turned into a dominant second half and a 13-3 win in an FCIAC game at McDougall Stadium.

The Eagles barely touched the ball in the third quarter, outshot 18-0. Staples outshot them 41-13 in all and shut them out for the last 27 minutes.

"That (possession) has been our goal the last few games," Staples coach Paul McNulty said. "We want to keep the ball at our (offensive) end and let the defense rest. That's been our strategy all year."

With a balanced offense -- seven players scored goals, and six of them had two -- the Wreckers built a 4-1 lead after one quarter, 7-3 at halftime. They scored four early in the third. At that point, Staples (9-2, 6-2 FCIAC) had put 17 of its 21 shots on target, with Trumbull's Danny Forren making six saves.

"We took a lot of good shots," said Staples senior midfielder Tucker Bobrow, who had three assists. "We were moving the ball really well."

Before the game, the national anthem wouldn't play over the public-address system. The Eagles belted out a spirited rendition from the sideline.

They won the opening draw, and Sam Watson fed Jake Crowe 45 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead.

And after that, not a lot went the way Trumbull (4-5, 3-4, after a three-game winning streak ended) hoped. It didn't help that midfielders Luke Pearson and Peter Raverta were out, and Mike DeVito and Jacob Howes were limited, all due to injury.

"No excuses. Whoever's there is there," coach Jim Kammerman said. "We didn't do the job defensively. They're a good team."

Staples' Ben Schwaeber dominated at the faceoff X after that first loss, letting the Wreckers control the ball constantly. They forced some turnovers when Trumbull did gain possession.

"It changes the whole flow of the game when you're able to possess the ball," Bobrow said.

"We've definitely gotten a lot better since the beginning of the season," he added. "Chemistry's better. Our offense is working much better."

The defense did its job when it had to, though senior all-stater Isaac Paparo sat out much of the game, feeling the effects of what's hoped to be just a badly bruised knee.